Internal-combustion engine sealing-ring construction



Aug. 16, 1932. R SKINNER 1,872,516

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE SEALING RING CONSTRUCTION I Filed March 18, 1931 Patented Aug. 16, 1932 PATENT OFFICE RALPH I. SKINNER, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO SKINNER MOTORS, INC., OF

DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE SEALING-RING CONSTRUCTION Application filed March 18, 1931. Serial No. 523,478.

The present invention concerns certain features of betterment in the ported sealingrings employed in some styles of internalcombustion engines, such rings being longitudinally split, thus rendering them capable of expansion and contraction. One of the leading aims and prime objects of the invention is to provide a sealing-ring of this general character, which, in co-opera- 1 tion with other elements of the engine construction, is capable of effectually sealing the engine cylinder or cylinders against the undesired escape of gas under pressure.

For an internal-combustion engine to perform its functions properly and efliciently,

at certain times, as during the compression of the explosive gaseous mixture preliminary to ignition and also during the explosion of such mixture, it must hold the gas against leakage or escape, as otherwise the engine will operate inefficiently or irregularly and uneconomically.

The new style of sealing-ring, forming the subject-matter of this invention, has certain structural characteristics and functional powers which permit it to do its intended work in proper and able manner.

This specification constitutes in part a continuation of my Patent No. 1,800,47 9, inter nal combustion engine construction, April 14,

For. a complete understanding of the invention, in the accompanying drawing, constituting a part of this specification, I have shown a present, preferred embodiment of the invention, and, for clearness, the same reference characters have been used to designate like parts in the two views.

In this drawing Figure 1 is a fragmentary, central, vertical section through the upper portion of a single cylinder of a multi-cylinder engine, showing the improved sealing-ring in position and indicating its relation to other parts of the structure;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the improved and novel style of sealing-ring; and

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the holding or locating pin for the sealing-ring.

Referring to the drawing, the new form of internal-combustionengine construction in which the improved type of sealing-ring is at present employed comprises an outer, water-jacketed cylinder 11, a cylinder-head 12 mounted on the cylinder-block and extending down into the cylinder with a shallow, annular space between the two, as is clearly presented in Figure 1, such cylinderhead having the usual spark-plug 13.

Inside of such outer cylinder and similarly spaced away from its concentrically is a stationary, inner cylinder 14 supported. from below in a manner not shown, the power piston 15 reciprocating in the inner cylinder in the usual way and being connected in the customary manner to the main crank-shaft, not illustrated.

The sealing-ring 16, constituting a desirable embodiment of this invention, rests on the top edge or end of such inner cylinder, the ring having an exhaust-port 17 therethrough and an opposite intake-port 18, the latter being bridged at its middle lengthwise the ring at 19.

These ring ports are maintainedin substantial register with the corresponding ports (not shown) of the outer cylinder, the inner cylinder having no ports, because its upper end is lower than the outer cylinder ports.

Bearing on the top of such sealing-ring is an endless or continuous hold-down ring 21, and above this and pressing down on its upper edge is another ring 22, in sections, if desired, having a number of upright pockets or sockets 23, each such socket accommodating'a spiral-spring 24 pressing on the bottom of the socket and bearing at its top and against the under surface of a shoulder 25 forming part of the cylinder-head, the latter being also equipped with an unbroken, transversely resilient ring or reed 26, the outwardly-flaring section of which contacts with the internal surface of the hold-down ring, the latter having a bottom, inwardly-extended flange 27 by means of which the gas pressure in the cylinder is imposed on the ring, pressing it downwardly to seal the joints between itself and the ported sealing-ring and between the latter and the inner cylinder.

This general engine construction forms the subject-matter of my Patent No. 1,830,136,

internal combustion engine, Nov.'3, 1931.

A pair of arcuate or curved, ported inlet and exhaust valves 28, of which only t e exhaust valve is shown in the drawing, fit in the annular or circular space between the outer cylinder on the one hand and the inner cylinder, sealing-ring, hold-down ring and cylinder-head on the other hand, and these valves are reciprocated longitudinally of the cylinders by means not shown in propertimed relation to the operation of the other parts of the engine.

In the preferred style of engine, the d1scharge-port of theexhaust-valve is unbridged, but the intake-portof the inlet-valve is desirably bridged at its middle lengthwise the valve.

The sealing-ring must be capable of expansion and contraction in order that it may press outwardly against the inner surfaces of the two valves to seal the joint between itself and the valves and to push the valves out- Wardly to seal the joints between their external surfaces and the inner surface of the outer cylinder and in order that it may have capacity for accommodating itself to changes in the engine due to variations in the temperature to which the latter is sub ected under different running conditions.

To afford the ring such power for enlargement and diminution or reduction in diameter, it is split at 29 throughout its entire length, and at such joint one end of the ring has an outer, slightly curved, but nevertheless comparatively-fiat, tongue 31 extended the full, longitudinal dimension of the ring, and

the other or companion end of the ring has a similar, inner tongue 32 overlapping such outer tongue.

Owing to this construction, due both to the inherent tendency of the ring to expand 1nside of the Valves, and due also to the gas pressure inside of the ring, such inner tongue is pressed or forced outwardly against the outer tongue, thereby securlng an eflicient and 1 effective seal at this point against the leakage or escape of gas under pressure.

In some instances, it is'desirable to cause the inner tongue, by its slight movement on the outer tongue, to scrape away any carbon tending to lodge on the inner face of the latter, and, to facilitate the performance of such function, the end of the inner tongue may be bevelled at 33 to give it a sharper cutting or scraping edge.

Gas in the small, lengthwise gap of the ring between the end or edge of the inner tongue and the adjacent Wall of the other end of the ring is precluded from release or escape out of the cylinder by reason of the fact thatvthe lower end of such gap is closed by the endless inner cylinder and the top end one reason being that at such point of the.

ring the incoming, explosive, gaseous mixture tends to cool the bridge and thereby lessens the tendency for the formation of carbon thereon.

From the foregoing, it should be clear that the improved and novel sealing-ring comprises an independent unit capable of practically-uniform expansion and contraction throughout its circumference.

To prevent the sealing-ring from being displaced by turning about its axis, which, if allowed to occur, might result in lack of proper registration of the sealing-ring ports with-those of the valves, the ring is equipped internally with a recess or cavity 34 in which fits the end of a holding or positioning pin 35 mounted in any approved manner in the cylinder-head.

In order to prevent any binding between the ring and the pin, which might preclude adequate contraction of the former, or might cause its undue enlargement at such point relatively to the other parts of the construction, experience has demonstrated that the groove should desirably have a relatively-flator plane bottom or outer wall or surface 36 angles to the axis of the pin, and that the walls of the ring cavity lengthwise the axis of the ring should be at substantially rightangles to said bottom or outer wall surface.

uch a construction assures that, under no circumstances, can a wedging action occur between the ring and pin, which might result in incorrect functioning of the ring with accompanying damage to the engine, or which might cause an inefiicient and undesirworking thereof. I

The locating or holding pin 35 is shown enlarged in Figure 3, and, from this illustration, it will be clear that a part of the pin is threaded at 37 so that it may be firmly anchored in place by screwing it into a properly-positioned, screw-threaded hole in the cylinder-head.

The outer end of the pin is at right-angles toits axis and is composed of three, intersectmg knife-edges 38, 39, and 41, the middle one 38 extending across the center of the pin, and the other two, 39 and 41, being parallel, ofl" center, and intersecting the knife-edge 38 at right-angles.

Obviously, any other suitable knife-edge construction, having the general characteristics specified, could be substituted for this particular on slot and the sharpened end of the pin are substantially parallel, no binding or wedging action can take place between them.

If carbon tends to form in the groves 34, the expansion and contraction of the ring in combination with the knife edges of the pin will act to cut it up and free it sufliciently so that it cannot become packed or hardened to prevent relatively free expansion and contraction of the sealing-ring with relation to the cylinder-head.

Those acquainted with this art will appreciate that the invention, as presented in the annexed claims, is not restricted to the precise details of structure illustrated and described, and that the invention is suscepltible of a variety of embodiments incorporating the fundamental principles of struc- 'ture which give the ring the functional advantages herein specified.

1 claim:

1. A longitudinally-split expansible sealing-rin g having inlet and exhaust ports therethrough, the joint of said split being out of register with the openings of said ports and having an inner longitudinal tongue on and extending the full length of one end of the ring and a co-operating, outer longitudinal tongue on and extending the full length of the other end of the ring and overlapping said inner tongue, whereby attempted expansion of said ring, if expansion thereof is confined, tends to seal said joint by forcing said inner tongue outwardly against said outer tongue, said ring comprising an independent unit capable of substantially-uniform expan-- sion and contraction throughout its circumference.

2. A longitudinally-split expansible ring havingan exhaust-port therethrough and an inlet-port therethrough with a bridge across said inlet-port disposed lengthwise the axis of said ring, the joint of said split being located in said inlet-port bridge and having an inner longitudinal tongue on and extending the full length of one end of the ring and a co-operating, outer longitudinal tongue on and extending the full length of the other end of the ring and overlapping said inner tongue, whereby attempted expansion of said ring, if expansion thereof is confined, tends to seal said joint by forcing said inner tongue outwardlyagainst said outer tongue, said ring comprising an independent unit capable of substantially-uniform expansion and contraction throughout its circumference.

3. A longitudinally-split expansible ring having inlet and exhaust ports therethrough, the joint of said split being out of register with the openings of said ports and having an inner longitudinal tongue on and extending substantially the full length of one end of the ring and a co-operating, outer longitudin a1 tongue on and extending substantially the full length of the other end of the ring,

said tongues being in overlapping relation whereby attempte expansion of said. ring if expanslon thereof is confined, tends to seal said joint by forcing said inner tongue outwardly against said outer tongue, said ring comprising an independent unit capable of substantially-uniform expansion and contraction throughout its circumference, the edge of said inner tongue lon itudinal of the ring being bevelled to more e ciently remove carbon from the adjacent surface of the outer tongue. v

4. A longitudinally-s lit expansible sealing-ring having inlet an exhaust ports therethrough, the joint of said split being out of register with the openings of said ports and havin an inner longitudinal tongue on and exten ing the full length of one end of the ring and a co-operating, outer longitudinal tongue on and extending the full length of the other end of the ring and overlapping said inner tongue, whereby attempted expansion of said ring, if expansion thereof is confined, tends to seal said joint by forcing said inner tongue outwardly against said outer tongue, said ring comprising an independent unit capable of substantially-uniform expansion and contraction throughout its circumference, said ring having in its inner surface a substantially-flat bottom recess adapted to receive a positioning pin.

5. A longitudinally-split expansible sealing-ring having inlet and exhaust orts t-herethrough, the joint of said split out of register with the openings of said ports and havin an inner, longitudinal tongue on and exten ing the full length of one end of the ring and a co-operating, outer longitudinal tongue on and extending the full length of the other end of the ring and overlapping said inner tongue, whereby attempted expansion of said ring, if expansion thereof is confined, tends to seal said joint by forcing said inner tongue outwardly against said outer tongue, said ring comprising an independent unit capable of substantially-uniform expansion and contraction throughout its circumference, said ring having in its inner surface a recess adapted to receive a positioning pin, said recess having a substantially-fiat bot tom surface with the surfaces of its other walls longitudinal of the ring at substantially right-angles thereto.

6. In an internal-combustion engine, the combination of a split, expansible and contractible, ported sealing-ring having a recess in its inner face, and a stationary locating pin having an end ortion fitting in said recess to prevent the ring from turning about its axis, the end of the pin in the recess havinga knife-edge to cut any carbon which may form in the recess.

7. In an internal-combustion engine, the

combination of a split, expansible and contractible, ported sealing-ring having a recess ing pin having an end portion fittin in its inner face, and a stationary locating-pin having an end portion fitting in said recess to prevent the ring from turning about its axis, the end of the pin in the recess having a plurality of knife-edges to cut any carbon which may form in the recess.

8. In an internal-combustion engine, the combination of a split, expansible andcontractible, ported sealing-ring having a recess in its inner face, and a stationary locatingpin having an end portion fitting in said recess to prevent the ring from turning about its axis, the end of the pin in the recess having a plurality of intersecting knife-edges to cut any carbon which may form in the recess.

9. In an internal-combustion engine, the combination of a split, expansible and contractible, ported sealing-ring having a recess in its innervface, and a stationary locatingin said recess to prevent the ring from turmng about its axis, the end of the pin in the recess having a knife-edge to cut any carbon which may form in the recess, said knife-edge being in a plane substantially at a right-angle to the axis of the pin. I

10. In an internal-combustion engine, the combination of a split, expansible and contractible, ported sealing-ring having a recess in its inner face, and a stationary locatingpin having an end portion fitting in said recess to prevent the ring from turning about its axis, the end of the pin in the recess having a plurality of knife-edges to cut any carbon which may form in the recess, said knifeedges being in a plane at substantially a right-angle to the axis of the pin. 11. In an internal-combusition engine, th combination of a split, expansible and contractible, ported sealing-ring having a recess in its inner face, said recess having a substantially-flat outer wall surface, and a stationary locating-pin having an end portion fitting in said recess to prevent the ring from turning about its axis, the end of the pin in the recess having a knife-edge to cut any carbon which may form in the recess, said knifeedge being substantially parallel to said recess outer wall surface.

12. In an internal-combustion engine, the combination of a split, expansible and contractible, ported sealing-ring having a recess in its inner face, said recess having a substantially-flat outer wall surface, and a stationary locating-pin having an end portion fitting in said recess to prevent the ring from turning about its axis, the end of the pin in the recess having a plurality of knife-edges to cut any carbon which may form in the recess, said knife-edges being in a plane substantially parallel to said recess outer wall surface.

13. In an internal-combustion engine, the combination of a split, expansible and conits axis, the end of said pin being sharp tocut any carbon which may form in the recess. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

RALPH L. SKINNER. 

